


Dark Claw: The Murder Gag

by JTR01



Category: Amalgam Comics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:54:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23066566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JTR01/pseuds/JTR01
Summary: One bad day. That is the one thing the insane and murderous Hyena firmly believes in, and is the only thing that separates good people and monsters like himself. With his past slowly being revealed, this famous action packed story will show the Hyena focusing his untamed savagery on an explosive final fight against Dark Claw that will claim the life of SHIELD agent Jason Todd.
Kudos: 1





	1. Free

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on the metafictional graphic novel mentioned in Bruce Wayne: Agent of SHIELD and is apparently a combination of The Killing Joke and A Death in the Family, two of the best Batman comics ever made. I don't own Amalgam Comics.

Commissioner Charles Gordon threw his cigarette to the ground and stamped on it to put it out as a certain car drove in front of him. Her was standing outside Arkham Asylum, though according to recent news it sounds like politician and crime boss lord Edward Fisk might actually get his Arkham Tower idea. The door of the car opened, and out stepped the Clawed Crusader himself.

"Mind explaining to me why you're doing this?" he questioned the masked hero.

"I have to talk to him." Dark Claw responded as he marched into Arkham, Gordon following quickly behind him.

"He's been in here for nearly two years. he's had no contact with anyone more than once. Hell, the person who gives him his food though a hole in his cell is someone new everyday." Gordon told Dark Claw, hating being here surrounded by maniacs who would happily kill him. That is why he made sure to be a safe distance from one cell that held Harvey Osborn, also known as the Two-Faced Goblin.

"I still need to talk to him. It will be fine." Dark Claw replied swiftly.

"He's insane. It's a mistake to think you know what he will do." Gordon insisted, hoping to convince his friend and ally on the war against crime. The two turned a corner and found themselves at a cell door, being guarded by two police officers. One of them reluctantly nodded and even more reluctantly opened the door for New Gotham City's hero.

"You're wrong Charles." Dark Claw said with a tone of sadness in his vice. "I probably know him better than anyone."

Dark Claw entered the dark cell to see him sitting on a chair, sorting through a deck of cards while the door was closed behind the crime fighter. Creed Quinn, the infamous supervillain known as the Hyena. It always puzzled him that this creature, who was savage and wild, seemed perfectly fine with doing simpler and quieter things as well. Dark Claw sat down on the chair opposite of him, the darkness hiding much of the inmate's features and making him even more sinister. He was wearing a large orange jumpsuit most inmates wear, though the sleeves had been torn of. Their were scratches all over the cell, likely caused by the Hyena's sharp claw like nails.

"Hello. I came to talk." Dark Claw said. Hyena didn't respond, just continued to sort through the cards and lay them out on the table.

"I've been thinking lately. About you and me. About what's going to happen to us, in the end." Dark Claw continued. "We're going to kill each other, aren't we?"

A card was laid on the table.

"I know that it might be difficult for people like us, but I think it's perfectly possible that we could do it. Perhaps you'll kill me. Perhaps I'll kill you. Perhaps sooner. Perhaps later." he continued, getting angrier as Hyena didn't respond. "I just wanted to know that, despite everything we've been through together, I made a genuine attempt to talk things over and avert that outcome. Just once."

Hyena put another car don the table, and that was the last straw. Dark Claw grabbed Hyena's arm tightly, struggling to control his anger at the fact that the Cackling Canine was being silent for what must be the first time. However, while not letting go of Hyena's arm, Dark Claw found the strength to control his temper.

"Are you listening to me!? It's life an death that I'm discussing here. Maybe my death, maybe yours." Dark Claw said as calmly as he could. "I don't fully understand why our relationship has to be so fatal, but I don't want your murder on my..."

Dark Claw trailed off when he noticed something. Something he had failed to notice at first due to the stress of what he was doing. Hyena's scent was different from what It should be. Which meant only one thing, and it infuriated him more than anything else could have. Dark Claw reacted by grabbing the inmate by the throat and picking him up, which isntnatly caused the imposter to start talking.

"Hey! Wait a minute! Don't touch me, I got rights! You're not allowed to...," the man began to yell, before tailing off when he saw the fury that Dark Claw's mask didn't hide, "...touch me."

"WHERE IS HE!" Dark Claw yelled with the voice that terrified every criminal of the city, causing the man to start screaming for help. "Do you realize what you've set free? What it's capably of? Where is he!?"

***

It had taken SHIELD agent Bruce Wayne three weeks to track down where HYDRA agents have been secretly meeting to pass along weapons and secrets, which was a warehouse in New Gotham City. Wayne was carefully hidden on some boxes, observing a number of HYDRA agents talking and showing each other weapons. Whiel they did not know it, there were SHIELD agents all over the place just waiting for his signal. He was just about to give it, when his partner apparantly had other ideas, as he suddenly leaped out of their hiding spot towards the enemy agents.

"Moonwing! What do you think you're doing?" Wayne asked his costumed partner, who was secretly SHIELD agent Jason Todd.

"What I was trained to do!" Moonwing replied, kicking one of the HYDRA agents as he landed in front of them.

"Damn it! Cover has been compromised! Move in!" Wayne yelled into his com link, before leaping in after Moonwing.

Wayne was furious that yet again Jason had ignored his orders for this mission, like he has been doing a lot lately. He didn't understand why he was doing it though. Jason has always been reckless and headstrong, but he has never been like this before. He's been moody and resentful, acting out at the smallest things. Wayne just couldn't understand why, but he chose to ignore it for now in favour of surviving against the enemy agents. He followed Moonwing and pulled out his gun, shooting at anyone who would come near him. Just then SHIELD agents burst in through the windows, swinging inside using ropes, and the HYDRA agents chose that escaping was better than fighting.

Moonwing was brutal to his enemies, clearly breaking many bones and probably crippling many of them for the rest of their lives. While Wayne wasn't one to judge considering the list of enemy agent she has killed or interrogated, but he could tell from Jason's body language that he was enjoying this way more than he should. Like he was using this to let out all the repressed anger he had, which Bruce knew was unhealthy. And he was quickly proven right by what happened next.

Jason leaped at an agent and started smashing his fists into his face, causing blood to splatter a little. Other HYDRA agents, probably out of sympathy or friendship, tried to attack Moonwing and save their fellow agent. But Moonwing simply used their attacks against them, hitting them and using their momentum to further help himself win the fight. Using his acrobatic skills Moonwing easily flipped through the air and beat his attackers, and eventually he was brutally hitting one HYDRA agent, with all the rest having been beaten and captured by SHIELD.

"Hey buddy, do you mind handing this guy over to me?" one agent asked as he approached Moonwing. Then the unthinkable happened, as Moonwing spun around and kicked the agent, sending him flying backwards and into a large tower of boxes that had ben stored in the warehouse. Wayne yelled as he saw one of the boxes was open and as the tower collapsed onto the man, knives fell out of the box. There was a scream from the agent of pain that quickly faded, leaving everyone in shocked silence.

"What have you done?" Wayne said to Moonwing in shock, whose horrified expression was clearly visible through the mask.

***

Rain poured from the sky above, dark clouds making everything seem sinister. And due to the run down state of the carnival, the clouds made it seem terrifying, like it was a from a horror movie about a psychotic serial killer. Which is why the owner Jim Moore wan ted to sell it to anyone who would take it, as he didn't have the money to restore it and honestly he just wanted to leave the city, through any means necessary.

"Ah! There you are!" he said as he saw the very large and muscular man he was looking for, who wore a large purple trench coat and matching fedora. But as Jim got closer he began to see the chalk white face, his green hair that resembled animal fur and his long sharp nails. Despite his fear, he continued to talk. "Have you had a chance to inspect the property and decide if it's what you were looking for?"

"Well," the man responded, "it's garish, ugly and derelicts have used it for a toilet. The rides are dilapidated to the point of being lethal, and could easily maim or kill innocent little children."

"Oh." Jim said sadly. "So you don't like it?"

"Don't like it?" the Hyena responded in surprise, before giving Jim a large grin that showed off his sharp teeth that resembled daggers. "I'm crazy for it. This is exactly what I've been looking for."

"Really?" Jim asked din surprise, happiness and hope filling his heart. "And the price isn't a problem?"

"A problem? My good man," Hyena said with his grin as he patted Jim on the shoulder, almost giving him a heart attack, "I know I'm going to be making a killing."

As the two began to walk around the carnival, memories began to fill Hyena's mind as he continued to speak, memories he would give anything to forget. "Besides, I haven't had any problems in a long time..."


	2. Satan Teeth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided that the flashbacks would be individual chapters and due to their being no mention of the Red Hood in Amalgam Comics, these flashbacks will show what led Hyena to join the Canadian Airforce where he met Dark Claw, which in turn led to the two of them ending up in the Weapon X program. To do this I'm using the comic X-Men Origins Sabretooth. Hope you enjoy it.

Creed Quinn screamed in pain, desperately praying that God would grant him mercy. But like always the deity his family always tell him is his only salvation showed no sign that he cared. Because his father continued to pull at his tooth, until eventually it came out and caused Creed to whimper in pain.

"This is for your own good boy. You've got the devil in you." Zebadiah told his son, holding him tight by the hair. "If I pull out enough, one day these Satan teeth won't come back."

Creed's father told him that every single time he did this. That all the pain on his mortal body was worth saving his immortal soul. He's been saying it, as has his mother, ever since Creed lost control. No, that's not what his parents say. Ever since the demonic force inside of him took over and murdered his older brother Luther. That's what his parents always told him.

The fourteen fell to the hard cold flaw as his father let go of his hair, told him that he was doing good and just needed to stay strong, before heading up the steps out of the cellar and locking the door behind him. Creed curled up into a ball, silently crying from the physical pain of what his parents were doing to him and the emotional agony of the torture h was going through. He hadn't meant to hurt Luther, they had just been playing around. He hadn't meant to hurt him the way he did with his hands. He didn't know how strong he was.

It took him ages to fall asleep, but when he did he only experienced the tempting of the demon again. At least that's what his father and mother called them when Creed firs told Zebadiah about them. They were dreams of him breaking free of the chains that held him prisoner, and when his father attempted to tear out his teeth, Creed would brutally tear his head off, before moving onto his mother. He hated having to experience them every night, but the one thing he never told anyone was how much he enjoyed having them. He knew he was being sinful by having such feelings, but he couldn't help himself and he often found himself imagining that he was doing such things when his father came down to the cellar. Eventually he woke up after again having the dreams, and instantly felt his teeth with his tongue, angry to find that they were slowly growing back and healing. They were coming back faster now than ever before. Could they end up healing a second after his father had taken them out?

"Are you ok?" a voice hesitantly asked him. Creed looked up to see Jeanie looking down at him, a tray of food in her hands.

"Get away from me." Creed said quickly a she pushed himself against the wall. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Don't be silly. I know you will never hurt me. Just like you never hurt Luther. It was the demon that did that." Jeanie told him, placing the tray on the floor. Jeanie was brought into the family a few years ago after her parents were murdered, due to Creed's father being a friend of her father. she and Creed have always been close, and used to spent nearly all their time together. But when he killed Luther, he became a dark and evil secret that she had to be part of, which was something Creed hated most of all about his curse. That it was ruining her life.

"Where's pa and ma?" Creed asked, as he slowly and carefully pulled the tray to him and picked up the bread.

"There was a fire near old Hershel's farm. They've gone to help." she explained.

"Thanks for the food. You should leave now." Creed told her, but to his surprise she instead sat on the floor facing him. "Didn't you hear me? Leave!"

"No. I want to talk to you Creed." Jeanie told him, slowly moving towards him and stretching her hand out to touch his face. Creed however flinched despite the fact she didn't touch him, and she moved her hand away. "Please. I miss you. I miss how things were."

"You mean before I killed Luther."

"You didn't kill him. The demon took control of you and killed Luther." Jeanie said firmly, clearly not able to believe in anything other than that. "I know you Creed, and I know that you would never hurt anyone."

"What if you're wrong?" Creed asked her, before sitting up a little more straight. "I have a problem. And that problem is that I don't think there is a demon. That the problem isn't some evil unholy creature, that the problem is me and me alone."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what I said. I think," Creed said slowly, "that it's just me. That there isn't average and normal Creed, and then there is this unspeakable evil monster. I think they're one and the same. That I'm a monster, and there is nothing pa or ma or you can do to change me."

"You're not a monster." Jeanie told him. Creed was about to argue, when she suddenly leaped forward and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Creed froze, not sure what he should do. He wanted to push her away, scare her and remind her that he is a dangerous abomination. But he didn't. because this was the first time he had physical contact with someone who wasn't trying to "cure" him. It felt nice, and he upset when she pulled away.

"What was that for?" Creed asked, confused by her actions.

"To remind you that you're still Creed Quinn. That you aren't a monster, because if you were you would have hurt me. So don't start thinking that you are." she told him, before standing up and giving him a warm smile, before walking up the steps out of the cellar.


	3. Here's to Crime

"You know, I'm positive you're not going to regret this purchase. This place isn't as bad as it looks, with the rides being pretty sturdy and all. This could be a great carnival." Jim told Hyena, who was staring at the shackles inside the cage, clearly once being the cage for some kind of animal or abused freak. Shaking his head and grinning madly again, he looked at Jim and walked to him.

"Oh you are so right." Hyena told Jim while placing a hand on his back gently. "Thanks to your smooth salesmanship and silver tongue, I'm completely sold on this place. Seriously, you might be the best salesman I've ever met, and that's saying a lot."

"Well, thanks." Jim said slowly, smiling slightly from relief. "It's my privilege."

"Indeed it is. Of course, I won't be paying for it. My Pack convinced your partner to sell the property to me about an hour ago. It's already mine, I was just looking around." Hyena told him as he quickly dug his claws into Jim's back before just as quickly moving his hand away. "As I can see from your face, you're pretty happy about that."

"Now, I must get a move on. There's equipment to hire, plus workers who would suit the carnival I'm imagining, and then of course there's the main attraction I've yet to secure. But don't worry, I have a very special one in mind." Hyena told Jim with glee as he walked away, leaving the pale faced grinning man dead from the venom Hyena had infected him with using his claws. "But please, do feel free to stick around."

***

Bruce Wayne sat in his chair of his private quarters, staring out of a window of the SHIELD helicarrier. He could see the deep blue sky and white clouds, some which resembled many different shapes. With him was his mentor and closest ally Nick Fury, who was shaking his head in sadness.

"It's never good to see an agent die. Even worse when it's caused by one of your own, accident or otherwise." Fury told Wayne. "Any idea what caused Jason to act that way?"

"I don't know. He's always been reckless, ever since we first met. Maybe the consequences of him being like that have finally happened." Wayne replied, as he remembered his first meeting with Jason, where the seventeen year old had attempted to stelas the tires of a SHIELD vehicle. It had been back when Dick had been Moonwing and when his dissociative identity disorder was becoming worse. While it had always been a struggle for Dick and one that persisted to this day, it had been worse back then when his alternate identities Tim Drake and Marc Spector were around more than Dick. That was partly the reason Dick handed over the role of Moonwing to Jason and retired to study at Oxford. "The thing is I had hoped he had put it behind him when he had arrested his father's killer the Two-Faced Goblin. Guess I was wrong."

"I don't think that is it. I've always thought the kid was always trying to prove himself to you." Fury said to Bruce, surprising the agent.

"Prove himself? Why would he need to prove himself to me?" Wayne questioned, looking up at his mentor.

"Well not to criticise you or anything Bruce, but I've always felt you've sometimes compared the kid to Dick." Fury explained somewhat reluctantly. "Not that I think you meant to do that intentionally, but you did. And that can make someone a little resentful and determined to prove themselves. I'm not telling you what to do, but I think Ill leave you with that."

Wayne watched Fury leave the room before looking out of the window, thinking deeply about what his mentor had said. Did he really compare Jason to Dick as much as Nick had described? He didn't think he did, but even if he did that didn't exempt Jason from killing that SHIELD agent, accident or not. Jason had to be punished, no matter how much Bruce wanted not to. Because even if he did subconsciously compare his new Moonwing to Dick, Jason was still someone he trusted so what he was about to do pained him.

"Bring Jason in." Wayne said as he pressed a button on his chair, knowing it would have been heard by the agents guarding his door. As he expected, the door opened and Jason walked in wearing civilian clothing, due to his Moonwing costume being taken after what happened.

"Look Bruce, I know I messed up. But you have to understand-" Jason began, but was completely cut off by his mentor.

"Pack your things. You're out Jason." Wayne told him simply.

"What!?" Jason asked in shock. "Why? There have been plenty of agents who have messed up more than me who are still part of SHIELD. Sure they got demoted, but they're still here."

"I'm making you leave because I gave you too much authority too quickly. It took Dick years to earn his place. It took you barely nine months before I gave you the same level of authority." Wayne replied, noticing the glare and brief eye roll form Jason. "Look it's my fault. I wanted Moonwing back and I was willing to break all regulations to try and have it back to how it was."

"So because I'm not the great Dick Grayson, you're letting me go? Throwing me away like I'm nothing?" Jason asked angrily.

"You are still angry and reckless. I blame myself because I pushed you and like I said, put you in a place in SHIELD you hadn't earned." Wayne told him. "Look, you're young. You can still enlist in the army and in a few years SHIELD will likely end up interviewing you to see if you could be a good fit. If you join, perhaps you can be Moonwing again some day."

"Whatever! I know when I'm not wanted. And I've always known I was never wanted here." Jason told Bruce, and before the super agent could say anything Jason stormed off. He marched past the guards, who glared at him as he left just like the other agents. Eventually he reached his room on the helicarrier, and after the door shut behind him and began to grab some of the objects and weapons in his room and thrown them angrily.

"Selfish, ignorant arseholes! They're the problem, not me!" Jason yelled angrily. "Especially Wayne. I've done everything right! If Dick had made the same mistake, no one would have cared. But because it's me, I get treated worse than anyone else. Hell, Dick wouldn't even have to do anything to prove himself!"

Jason stopped and thought for a moment, before a grin spread across his face. Dashing to his computer, which he had long ago changes so that SHIELD couldn't keep track of everything he looked at so he could investigate things privately, he searched through SHIELD's database. He looked through every recent attack, escape or strange event that had been noticed on SHIELD's radar. He couldn't pick something easy, it had to be big but at the same time not so big other agents would end up being sent to deal with it. After a few minutes he was about to give up hope of finding one, when eh saw the perfect mission. Quickly pulling his briefcase form it's hiding place and opening it to reveal a spare Moonwing costume, he smiled with anticipation.

"Watch out Hyena," he said as he closed the case so no one would know what was in it, "because now you've got Moonwing to deal with."

***

Logan Wayne stared at his large computer screen, a picture of the man he hated more in the world on it. Creed Quinn, the Hyena. The mass murderer was smiling gleefully, the madness in his eyes terrifying Logan even as a picture. Gotham's hero looked down at a picture of him and Creed, taking back when they had been in the army together and one of the few memories along with his childhood that he remembered in perfect detail.

"Hey, are you alright?" Jubilation Lee, also known as his sidekick Sparrow, asked him as she suddenly appeared. "I know he escaped again, but don't worry. We can easily arrest him again. Then he will never bother either of us again."

"That's not it Sparrow." Logan said, having always preferred calling her by her codename while in the Burrow. He mainly did it to help remind himself and Sparrow to use codenames when in battle, and thus not reveal their secret identities.

"Then what is it?" she questioned, and after a few seconds of staring at the picture for a few moments and hesitating Dark Claw answered.

"I've been trying to figure out what he's planning to do. It's almost impossible." he said, sadness and regret in his eyes. "I don't truly know him Sparrow. Despite our history, despite all the long years I've known him, I don't know what truly drives him just as much as he doesn't truly know what drives me. I don't even know for sure if Creed Quinn is his actual name, since that could just be another lie of his. How can two people hate each other so much without really knowing what made the other who they are?"

Sparrow looked at her mentor, the man who saved her years ago and gave her a purpose. Then she looked at the picture of the Hyena, a monster with no morals and an insatiable apatite for death. And she wondered and feared why Dark Claw felt the need to understand something so inhuman like the Hyena.

***

"I hate this. Whenever we put him away, I pray to God that he stays there forever and the city can be a bit safer. Then, whenever he gets out, I pray that he doesn't do anything just as bad this time." Gordon told his wife Moira, who was making the two of them cocoa as he cut out a bit of the newspaper for his Hyena scrapbook. "I hate it."

"Honey, could you please just once leave your work at the office and relax?" Moira asked her husband, despite knowing the answer, setting a tray on the living room table with two cups of cocoa. "Here's your cocoa."

"Thank you Moira. I'll drink it when I've put this latest clipping into the scrapbook." Gordon replied with a smile.

"You know, I found that Catsai scrapbook you said was missing. It was behind the wardrobe, along with a lot of other stuff. You should let me come up with a filing system" she said as she sat down on the chair next to him. "Some day you have to let me and Barbara make a proper filing system for you, like what I used back when I was a librarian. Because we all know you won't."

"You know me so well." Gordon said with a smile before refocusing his attention on his scrapbook.

"Oh come on Charles." Moira said with annoyance as she looked at the table. "You used too much paste! It's squidging under the clipping, you're going to get some on the table. Make sure it doesn't get on your trousers, Barbara doesn't come to visit often"

"Hmm." Gordon replied absentmindedly, and Moira shook her head as she got up when she heard someone knock on the door.

"Oh good. That must be Barbara, though she's a little early."

"Look at this one. First time they met in Gotham, though I have no idea when they met before. Dark Claw won't tell me much. Now what year was that?" Gordon wondered.

BANG

CRASH

Gordon yelled as Moira fell back into the glass table, smashing into it and breaking it. At her stomach was a big red bullet hole, and she was crying deeply. Gordon look up at the door to see the Hyena grinning madly, a small gun in his hand. The monster walked into their home, two thugs walking in with him. All three grinned viciously as Gordon knelt down next to his wife, horrified and scared.

"Moira..." Gordon began, his mind blanking on what to say.

"Don't worry Chuck. It's actually a psychological complaint commonly found amongst ex-librarians. You see to her, she believes she's a coffee table edition." Hyena told Gordon, and the man's fear and horror quickly transformed into violent rage.

"You fucking bastard!" he yelled as he tried to attack Hyena, but the metamutant acted quickly by grabbing Gordon by the face and throwing him against a wall. His tow thugs approached Gordon as he struggled back up to his feet.

"Mind you, while I'm not much of a reader, I don't care for this book's condition." Hyena said as he pulled out a bottle of whiskey from the cupboard and drank some straight form the bottle. "I mean look at it, the spine appears to be very damaged."

"You scum, I'll kill you!" Gordon yelled, before the thugs began to attack him, slowly beating him into unconsciousness.

"Yes, I very much doubt she's going to be walking off shelves anytime soon. In fact, the chances of her walking anywhere seems increasingly remote, but then again, what do you expect from softbacks." Hyena said before speaking to his men who were now carrying the unconscious police commissioner. "Don't rough him up too much boys, he is the main attraction after all."

"You know it's a shame you won't get to witness your husbands debut Mrs Gordon. Alas, our show wasn't built for the disabled in mind." Hyena said with sick glee as he used his sharp claws to tear off her shirt before pulling out a camera. "But don't worry, I'll take some picture to remind him of you."

"Why...are...you doing...this?" Moira asked weakly, unable to find the strength to scream.

"To prove a point." Hyena told her before holding out the whiskey bottle as if making a toast. "Here's to crime."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to tell me if I made any spelling mistakes or if there are sentences that don't make sense when you notice them. I know, strayed from the source material a bit in regards for Jason and Gordon. But seeing as I didn't know how to work Jason's mother into the story or Gordon's daughter (who is suppose to be Barbara Hardy/Black Bat, though I'm deciding that Hardy is an alias and a small way to avoid being traced to her family) due to her backstory clearly being different in Amalgam Comics, I decided to do this.


	4. A Mistake

"I can't keep living like this!" Victoria Quinn yelled, her voice being clearly heard by Creed despite being in the basement.

"Victoria, calm down." Zebadiah told his wife, the fear and anger in his voice obvious.

"I can't keep looking friends in the eyes and tell them my sons ran away! I can't keep pretending that I keep my son prisoner in our basement!" she screamed, making Creed hang his head in shame.

"That isn't our son! Not really! Deep inside, our son Creed is alive, but a demon controls him." Creed's father shouted. "And until we save him or his body is destroyed, we have to keep doing this."

"Destroyed!? You mean kill him! That's what you plan to do, kill the only child we have left." Victoria replied. "I can't do continue to do this Zebadiah! He's my son, and I can't let you hurt him."

"You have to! It doesn't matter how much guilt we feel or how much we hurt him, we have to remember that we are trying to save his soul. All the pain in the world is worth making sure my son finds eternal happiness in Heaven." Zebadiah yelled forcefully, stomping around as he did.  
"But I hear him scream. Call out for help." Victoria replied.

"And you're not there! You aren't the one doing it to him, I am! If anyone has the right to act the way you are now, it should be me!" Zebadiah shouted furiously, before stomping away. Creed heard him leave the house and his mother cry for a little while longer, before leaving as well.

Creed sat there, staring down at his fingers. The nails had been pulled out by his father a few days ago and had grown back to normal length, but Creed knew that they would soon be claws sharp enough to pierce flesh like a wild animal's, and have in fact resulted in him accidentally ruining his shirt. He has tried biting them, hoping to postpone the pain o his father removing them, but Creed knew that even if he did that he would only buy himself another day or two. Inevitably, his body heals faster than it should, meaning Zebadiah has to do what he always does. Except now, after two years of it, Creed was beginning to fear his father more as Creed was starting to heal faster. This made Zebadiah more angry and panicked, leading him to use new methods to save Creed's soul. More painful methods. Methods that hurt so much, Creed was starting to think they were actual harming his soul, if he even had one.

"Creed?" Jeanie asked from the top of the stairs. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Jeanie. You don't have to check up on me." Creed replied, watching her close the door behind her and walk down the stairs. "Where did ma and pa go? I heard them arguing."

"Mr Quinn has probably gone to get a drink and Mrs Quinn might have gone to visit her friend Mrs Wayward." Jeanie answered, having never gotten used to using their first names no matter how many times they told her to sue them, as she held a bottle of water in her hand, removing the lid and handing it to Creed. Despite the relatively short length of the chains, Creed was still able to hold the bottle and drink the water. Jeanie sat down in front of him, smiling slightly as he nodded his thanks. He only drank a little before offering it to Jeanie, but after she shook her head he reluctantly drank more.

"So how have you been? Anything interesting happen in our boring old town?" Creed asked with a smile, knowing it made Jeanie more comfortable when he didn't look how he felt.

"I've been fine and besides a few marriages and one birth, nothing really." Jeanie answered, but Creed knew she was lying. After knowing her for as long as he has, it was hard for either for them to successfully lie to each other.

"Jeanie, what's wrong?"

She sighed heavily, not speaking for a moment. Eventually however, after a few seconds, she reluctantly explained. "It's Guy Markus. Remember him?"

"Unfortunately yes. Hey, has he finally succeeded in his holy quest to kill all birds for attacking him?" Creed asked with a smile, earning a chuckle form Jeanie that quickly vanished.

"Well, he's seems to want to court me and ask for my hand in marriage." Jeanie told him, and Creed started to cough heavily as the surprise of hearing that made him drink too much water too quickly.

"Really?" Creed asked after eh stopped coughing, trying to hide what he was feeling. "That's...great."

"Well, I haven't said yes. I think Mr Quinn doesn't want me to marry until...you know what is fixed somehow. I think he's afraid of the secret getting out." Jeanie explained.

"But if you wish to marry him, I shouldn't be the reason that you can't." Creed said.

"I don't want to marry him Creed." Jeanie said after a few moments of silence, moving so that she was sitting right next to him despite his reluctance. "I don't even like him."

"Why not? His father owns a pretty successful business unless I'm mistaken, so he will inherit that due to being the eldest. Providing for you would be easy. You wouldn't have to worry about a thing." Creed told her, trying to put some space between the two of them in fear of hurting her.

"But I don't want someone who can just provide for me or someone who has a successful business. If I married someone, I would want them to be someone I can talk to and enjoy myself. Someone who could make me laugh. Someone who wants to marry me not because I'm the prettiest or because it's to be expected, but because they really know me and I know them. I want to marry someone I love, and who in know loves me back." Jeanie said as she grew closer, the two of them looking at each other and their faces inches form each other. "Someone like you."

Creed knew he should push her away. Scare her, threaten her, do whatever it took to make her come to her senses. But before he could do anything, she leaned forward and pushed her lips against his. Creed froze not sure what to do, before slowly lowering his arm and pulling her closer, kissing her back. They continued to kiss, not doing anything else, before Jeanie moved closer. Despite knowing he should stop, he couldn't and allowed her to slowly remove the few shreds of his shirt that remained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this was the hardest chapter I had to write. Romantic stuff of any kind isn't my strongest area, so I would be grateful if you could tell me if it was alright.


	5. Have Fun

"The bullet went through her spine." the doctor told Barbara Gordon, who secretly used the alias Barbara Hardy and codename Black Bat when with SHIELD. The woman was trying to hold back tears as she looked at the unconscious body of her mother Moira, while the doctor continued to tell her what happened. "Putting it bluntly, she may well be in a chair for the rest of her life. I'll give you some time alone."

"Thank you doctor." Bruce Wayne told him, standing near Barbara in case she needed anything from him. Not that he knew what he could do to help her. When they had heard about what had happened to Barbara's mother, Bruce immediately rushed to be by Barbara's side. He knew it was unprofessional, like many things with his complicated relationship with Barbara, but Bruce didn't care.

"What happened?" Barbara asked Clark Bullock, a detective for the GCPD. Bruce wanted to keep her safe, as he knew she got lucky by finding the apartment empty due to her mother being found before she arrived, but he understood that he couldn't stop her from finding out what happened.

"Ms Gordon, I don't think-"

"What happened?" Barbara repeated firmly, and Bullock sighed and reluctantly told her.

"Some woman from the same yoga class as your mother found her. Her name is Colleen Reece." Bullock told her. "She found the victim in a state of undress, but the place was empty. The commissioner was-"

"What do you mean undressed?" Barbara asked, horror and anger impossible to miss in her speech.

"He, uh, he removed her clothing after shooting her." the detective explained reluctantly. "We found a lens cap on the floor that didn't fit with any of the cameras in the place. So we believe that...well, we believe he took pictures. Of her when..."

"Who was it? Who did this to her?" Barbara questioned, her fists clenched as she struggled to control her fury.

"They didn't tell you?" Bullock asked in surprise.

"Who was it?"

"It was the Hyena." a voice suddenly said, and every one turned to see New Gotham City's Clawed Avenger Dark Claw standing by an open window, apparently having climbed in.

"What are you doing here?" Bullock asked the masked vigilante, having never shared his superior's trust for Dark Claw.

"I heard what happened." Dark Claw responded, his eyes only briefly looking at the two people he knew were SHIELD agents. "I came to find a way to find Gordon. Can you please leave us for a moment."

"It's alright." Barbara said to Bullock before the detective could speak, and reluctantly he left.

"So how did he escape?" Bruce asked Dark Claw, wary of him. He's never trusted him, not since that mission in Canada when they had first met.

"He bribed a guard to pose as him and got aid from Jonathan Laughton in sneaking out of Arkham." Dark Claw explained. "But don't worry, I will find him."

"No, we will find him." Barbara said firmly.

"Miss Gordon, please understand. I don't think that will be a good idea." Dark Claw told Barbara. Before she could respond, Moira began to move

"Where's...Charles?" she asked weakly, as Barbara dashed to her side.

"Mum! Thank God, you're ok!" she said as tears formed at her eyes.

"Barbara..." Moira simply said with as much strength as she could manage, looking around the room. "Where is Charles?"

"Moira it's ok." Dark Claw said to her, while Bruce awkwardly stood back.

"You..." Moira said, her face forming in terror as she remembered what happened, forcing her to try pushing her self up to reach Dark Claw. "It was him! The Hyena! He..oh God..He took Charles!"

"Mum, you need to calm down." Barbara said as gently as she could, but it didn't work.

"Moira, I promise it's going to be ok. I'm going to find him." Dark Claw promised, but like Barbara's attempts it didn't work.

"No, it's not ok! He's...oh God, he's not like he's been ever before!" she desperately tried to tell him. "You didn't see. You didn't see his eyes."

"Moira, what does he want?" Dark Claw asked her, causing Bruce to step in.

"Hey, you can't ask a question like that!" he told him, about to try and pull the costumed vigilante away from Moira, stopping when Moira spoke again.

"H-He said he wanted to prove a point...said it was going to be Charles's big debut." Moira told him, staring at him as fear and worry for Charles gripped her. "What's he going to do to him? What's he doing to my husband?!"

***

Gordon opened his eyes slowly, feeling a thumping pain at the back of his head. Everything was blurry, but he could feel hands grabbing him all around, which quickly made him try to focus. He quickly saw that he was surrounded by four men with paint on their faces that made them resemble the Hyena, wearing clothing that made him assume that they were part of the maniac's gang that he called the Pack.

"Get up." one ordered as the others pulled off his shirt.

"What's happening?" he asked and struggled against them, still confused and disoriented.

"Shut up!" another one said, pulling out a taser and pushing it at Charles, the electric charge metal making him scream in pain.

"No." Charles said as the taser was removed, and the people were now pulling down his trousers and pants, while one slipped a collar around his neck. "No, please. Don't do this."

"Get up." the one with the taser told him, using the taser again to get him moving once all his clothes had been removed.

"Please, stop. What if going on? What am I doing here?" Gordon begged but they ignored him and continued to dragged him out of the carnival tent they had been in. Gordon looked around frantically, seeing many Pack members grinning madly at him. Eventually however he was pushed to the ground, and he felt the cold wet crass as he pulled himself up to his knees and looked up from where a mad cackle was originating. And atop a mountain of plastic baby dolls, sitting happily in a bumper car, was the Hyena.

"Doing? Well my dear commissionaire, you're doing what any sane man in your horrific circumstances would do." the Hyena told him. "You're going mad."

"You. What are..." Charles trailed off as images flashed in his mind of what happened. "Oh God. I remember..."

"Remember!?" Hyena hissed as he wobbled the bumper car so it slid down the mountain of toys before using his strong claws to slow it down to a stop near Gordon. "Oh, I wouldn't do that! Remembering is a dangerous thing to do. The past is such a worrying place that people should be feared of. Its no wonder its called the past tense."

Everyone looked at the Hyena, who frowned. "Past Tense? Get it? Tense as in being tense, and past tense as in...Oh what do you people know? That was funny!"

"Anyway," Hyena continued, "like I said you cant trust memories. They are treacherous. One moment you're in a carnival of delight, laughing merrily at practical jokes and enjoying life. Then they trick you and lead you down a dark place, the one place you don't want to go. A place of pain and suffering, filled with dark things you hoped were forgotten."

"But can we live without them?" he asked as Gordon was led away. "I mean without memories, we lose what defines are reasoning. We deny memories, we deny reason. Which is why so many people say we can't do that. But you see, we can do that! It's not like we signed a contract saying we have to. There's no such thing as a sanity clause! If anything, we have the legal right to choose not to be sane!"

"But you don't have the right to commit crimes!" a voice rang out, causing Gordon to look behind in hope. While it wasn't Dark Claw like he had wanted, he recognized the individual throwing boomerang like weapons at Hyena, the SHIELD agent known as Moonwing.

"What are you doing here?" Hyena asked, genuinely surprised by the hero's appearance. The hero's weapons were swatted away by the powerful Hyena and Moonwing went for a direct approach, leaping around him and using the same weapons to stab the Hyena in the back. The metamutant howled in pain, and Moonwing was about to attack again when Hyena's first swung through the air and struck Moonwing. The agent was sent flying away, much to Gordon's horror.

"You know what to do. And Charles, I'm sorry I won't be there for the first bit. But try to have fun in there!" Hyena told his men and Gordon, pulling out Moonwing's sharp weapons from his back and approaching the agent. "I'm just going to have some fun with this one, then I'll be right with you."

"No! Leave him alone!" Gordon begged, but he couldn't do anything besides be dragged onto a small ride that led into a building. He struggled against the strong arms keeping him there, and as the ride moved forward he heard the first scream that undoubtedly came from Moonwing. However, all thoughts of the agent left his mind when he saw the large pictures on the walls, ceiling and ground of the building the ride was in.

"Oh God..." Gordon said as he saw pictures of Moira, naked and bloodied with some showing the Hyena taking a selfie of him and Moira, showing his signature mad grin. "Oh God, stop this! Stop this! Please stop this!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in case you don't know, Clark Bullock only appeared in Bat-Thing #1 and while it's obvious Harvey Bullock is the DC inspiration for the character, no one knows why he's called Clark not Harvey. Anyway, Jonathan Laughton is my idea on what the real name identity of the Amalgam version of Scarecrow, as it was never revealed in the comics.


	6. Love

Creed scratched at the wall he was chained to using his sharp nails, complete bored and trying to pass the time. The seventeen year old observed the basement which had unfortunately been his home for the last three years, with it been the anniversary of Luther's death and Creed's birthday a few days ago, while smelling the scent of alcohol above. Seems that his father was drinking again.

Creed was worried about his father. Not only had he started to drink even more than usual, which was an unholy amount, Zebadiah had stopped coming to try and purify Creed. Zebadiah Quinn wasn't a man who gave up easily, as evident by how he had kept torturing Creed for three years every night without fail. Also Creed had also begun to worry for his mother, who similarly had grown even more quest and withdrawn, despite it at first seemingly being impossible. He knew since he often heard people visiting, asking if they are alright, which admittedly wasn't anything new. But what was new was that unlike before, where they smilesd and lied, now they just shout at them and tell them to leave.

"Creed? Are you awake?" Jeanie asked from the top of the stairs. Creed considered not responding, to pretend he was asleep, but he decided he would like someone to talk to.

"Yes. I'm here." he said, and he watched her hesitantly walk down the stairs, not looking at him. The despair Creed was feeling increased as he noticed this, having Ben upset by how Jeanie hadn't visited him as much since they spent that night together a few weeks ago.

"How are you?" Jeanie asked him, sitting down opposite to him.

"I'm okay. But worried about ma and pa. What's happening?" Creed asked her.

Jeanie hesitated, clearly as worried as him, but she eventually spoke. "Your pa is...troubled. I think that everything we've been through in the last three years has finally gotten to him. And that has affected Victoria as well. Neither of them are in a good place, and neither are finding peace with God."

"None of us are happy. I honestly would be surprised if they still believed that there is some kind of deity watching over us." Creed replied, earning a shocked look from Jeanie.

"Don't say that Creed! There is a God, and he made you this way for a reason."

Creed chuckled a little when he heard her say that. "What, is that what you think now? That it's not a demon, but God made me like this for some kind of grand plan. Oh, please don't tell me go think I'm the second coming of Christ."

"No of course not." Jeanie replied. "It's just that it's the only thing that makes sense. If you were possessed by a demon, then surely you would be a monster. But you're not, so maybe God made you this way to complete some kind of purpose."

"And what, my purpose was to kill my brother? I'm the new Cain, is that it?" Creed questioned bitterly. "Am I supposed to be a new part of the Bible, to represent man's inner monster or some crap like that?"

"No, that's not what I think. To be honest, I don't know what to think." Jeanie admitted. "But I don't believe you're a monster, or some evil being that we are supposed to fear. You're a good person Creed. You care about people and I know, even if I don't understand it, that you have a destiny to fulfill."

"But what if that's just wishful thinking?" Creed asked. "What if that you're way of reconciling the version of me before Luther's death to the creature you see before you? Trying to keep alive your belief that I'm still the same boy who helped you pick fresh apples when we were kids?"

"I know you're still that boy." Jeanie told him firmly.

"How? How do you know that?"

"Because so love you!" Jeanie shouted, her voice echoing around the cellar before slowly becoming silent. Creed stared at her in shock, his brain unable to comprehend what she had just said or figure out what he should say back. But as he looked at her, he knew that there was only one thing he could ever say in response that was the absolute truth.

"I love you too." he told her, earning a surprised look from her that turned into a smile.

"Creed, I have something to tell you." she said, her smile disappearing.

"What is it?" Creed asked with worry, still surprised by their confessions to each other.

She looked at him with fear in her eyes, clearly afraid to tell him. He could see the worry and panicked she was feeling, and this only further worried him. His imagination went crazy, coming up with thousands of things she could say. But nothing he could imagine could have prepared him for what she did say.

"Creed, I think I'm pregnant."


	7. The Arm

"I want answers." Dark Claw told Fisk, who just sat there in his chair and stared at the hero with annoyance.

"Now really, is any of this actually necessary? You could have just called." Edward Fisk, known to the criminal underworld as the Big Question, replied smugly. "Honestly, where are anyone's manners these days."

"Don't test my patience Fisk." The superhero almost shouted, barely able to keep control of his emotions. For the last few hours, all he had been doing is interrogating one crime boss and then another, just to learn the same thing: they had no idea where Hyena was. Fisk was his last chance.

"Oh very well. But first, a riddle." Fisk said. "I am perfect, impossible, permanent and guaranteed. What am I?"

"I told you not to test me!" Dark Claw shouted, slamming a fist on the crime lord's desk.

"What am I?" Fisk repeated calmly.

"Nothing. You're nothing." Dark Claw eventually replied.

"Correct. And that is exactly what you will get unless I get something in return." he told the hero, who only glared.

"No. I'm not giving you anything."

"Then you know the way out." Fisk said with a petty and malicious grin.

"Tell him what you know Fisk." said a new voice. Both men turned to look to see Bruce Wayne, in his SHIELD uniform, standing there.

"Ah, Mr Wayne. So good to see you again. How have you been?" Fisk asked as t eh agent approached them.

"What are you doing here?" Dark Claw asked.

"Agent Hardy and others are keeping and eye on Mrs Gordon as we speak. I chose to aide you in finding the Hyena." Bruce said firmly, and with one look Logan knew that he was stuck with this man until they found his archenemy.

"This is interesting. Why would SHIELD care about the Hyena? Sure, he's the most evil man to ever exist, but you lot have never cared before." asked a puzzled Fisk, before a smile appeared on his face. "Unless you have a personal connection to the commissioner of course."

"Shut up Fisk. Now you are going to tell us what you know, and in return we will give you this." Wayne said as he pulled out a USB stick.

"And what is that? Something to test my mind, I hope."

"Places we believe Wilson Whale, codename White Whale, to be located." this caught Fisk's attention, who suddenly stared at the stick with desire as the idea of catching his rival filled his mind. "We aren't certain, but we know you would give anything to find him, even if it was barely a lead."

Fisk stared at Wayne, before looking at Dark Claw and then back at the USB stick. He was silent for a moment, making the two heroes wonder if he wasn't going to tell them anything, when he spoke. "Well played. Okay, here's what I know."

***

"Now, wasn't that fun?" Hyena asked Jason Todd cheerfully. The young SHIELD agent was on the ground, clutching the stump where his arm had been desperately as blood covered his hand and leaked done his side, while the Hyena's pack began to help keep him alive.

"And don't worry about dying or anything." the villain continued, waving Jason's arm round to point it at it's owner. "These guys are, or were, the best illegal medical professionals money and fear can buy. I've seen them keep people alive after I've torn off more than just an arm, using a combination of things like magic and superpowers, so you're in...well, I can't promise good hands since they've broken their oath, but you get my meaning."

"Sir, after we've patches him up, where do you want us to put him?" asked one of the Pack, but he looked away in disgust when the Hyena used his claws to pull off a finger from Jason's arm and throw it into his mouth like it was a mini sausage.

"Oh, take him to the house of mirrors. It might be fun to come up with a choose who to save scenario for my old friend. With any luck, he will either lose the faith of the city and police force or SHIELD." Hyena replied with the finger still in his mouth, his shape teeth quickly crushing the bone. Suddenly, he saw Gordon emerge from the carnival ride that went around a building showing pictures Hyena had taken today. He was being led by the Pack, who had taken him through it several times due to Hyena enjoying his time with Jason.

"Oh I completely forgot about you Charles. How mean of me. Bad Hyena." the madman sad as he slapped his wrist with Jason's four fingered arm. "But ignoring that, did you have fun."

Gordon didn't respond, just stared at nothing with lifeless eyes. He didn't end blink she Jason's arm was raised in front of him or slapped him in the face.

"Heeellloooo! Gordon, is anyone home?" Hyena questioned, before letting out a sigh of amusement. "Ah, sane people. They get so melodramatic over such little things. Can you find fellow put him in the cage for me?"

His men did as they were told, taking Gordon and throwing him into a cage. But the commissioner still didn't react, and Hyena was starting to get bored. After all, what was the point in breaking a toy if you couldn't still have fun with it? Suddenly he got an idea.

"Hey Charles? How would you like to help someone?" Hyena asked, not getting a response, before he looked at his people keeping Jason alive. "Bring him over here."

"Now Charles, I want you to eat this." Hyena said as he threw the at Gordon while grabbing Jason when he was brought to him. "Not the whole thing, but take a few big bite software it and swallow. Don't do that, and I hurt poor little Moonboy here. Understand?"

Gordon didn't answer, so in anger Hyena did what he thought was the most logical thing to do. He opened his mouth wide and bit Jason's shoulder, causing the crying and bleeding SHIELD agent to cry out in agony. This caught the attention of the naturally empathetic and altruistic Gordon. Hyena didn't know if he was happy or disappointed that some of Gordon's sanity remained, since it meant he had to keep torturing him. He could see that most of the Pack were looking away in disgust, though a few were staring with interest. Slowly Gordon reached for the arm, staring at it as he brought it closer to him. He was trembling as he opened his mouth and as Hyena smiled with anticipation, Gorodn began to bring the arm close to his mouth when there was suddenly a bright light shone at them as they heard the sound of a car.

"Oh, that's just typical. Always showing up just when the fun is about to start and ruining it." Hyena complained as he turned to see the famous Clawmobile drive up to Hyena and his men.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So tell me what you think and if there are any spelling mistakes or sentences that don't make sense. So I figured that since this is a hybrid of the Joker and Sabretooth, I will just go all out in the disgusting violence for the last bits of the story just to see if I'm good at writing it or not. So I'm open to criticism. By the way, just two more chapters then it's finished.


	8. Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I think I should mention that I am aware that what happens in this chapter could be considered to be the trope Stuffed in the Fridge, as described by TV Tropes. While I didn't want to do that trope, I honestly didn't see any other way of ending the flashbacks.

Creed tapped his finger against the wall impatiently, trying to desperately hear any sounds besides the hesitant footsteps of one person. He had to make sure that no one would find her, and if they did he planned to make as much noise as possible. She knew what the plan was: if she got caught, she just had to say she heard him making noise and worried for him. They would probably believe that.

He was thankful when he heard the basement door open and Jeanie walk down the steps, a key in her hands. She dashed to Creed and wrapped her arms around him, and he did his best to hug her back. He could hear her heart beating quickly in fear of what they were doing, and felt her shaking as well.

"It's going to be okay Jeanie. I promise." Creed told her as us elect to of him, holding t eh key tight.

"I don't know why we have to do this. I mean, your pa wouldn't-" Jeanie began, but Creed instantly interrupted her.

"He would. I know you don't want to accept it Jeanie, I don't either, but he would hurt you and our child, even if it doesn't turn out to be like me." Creed explained to her desperately. "I don't care what happens to me. Haven't for a long time. But I won't ever let you get hurt, so we have to run. If we get away I can find a job and provide for us, give you a happy life."

"But what if people try to kill you?" Jeanie asked, the fear and worry she was feeling being impossible to ignore. "They could do worst things to you then what Mr Quinn does."

"I'll just come up with some reason,or I'll wear clothing to hide my less...normal features." Creed told her. "But look, I doubt there's someone who wouldn't look away if I came along and was able to do stuff that took three men to do."

"But Creed-"

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then you know we have to leave."

Jeanie stared at him for a moment, before slowly using the key to unlock Creed's shackles. It took a little bit of effort to get them off, probably because he's been wearing them for years. Free rubber this wrists, not surprised by the lack of scars as he stood up. He nearly fell over, having had no reason or ability to stand since being put here, but Jeanie quickly grabbed him and held him until he began to get better at walking.

"Are you ok?" Jeanie asked Creed.

"Yeah I'm fine. You go and grab the bag of stuff I told you to get and wait outside. I just need a minute, ok?" Creed asked, and reluctantly she nodded and she walked up the steps.

Creed watched her leave, resting a hand on the wall to stop himself from collapsing as he tried to get used to walking again. He took a few steps around the basement, memories dashing through his head as he was reminded of what got him here and the agony he endured. At the back of his mind he wondered if what he was doing the right thing, or if it wasn't a selfish desire for freedom. He didn't want Zebadiah to do to Jeanie and his unborn son or daughter what he did to him. But at the same time, was it right for him to be loose on the world or to potentially allow something like him to exist. Creed knew that he was indeed a monster, so the idea that he was creating another troubled him somewhat.

Yet, from the second Jeanie told him, he had instantly found himself dreaming of an impossible life. A nice home. A tough by reliable job that provided the right amount of pay. A child who both respected and loved him. And Jeanie would be there, being happy and making Creed feel happy as a result. The idea of that dream becoming a reality was...enticing to Creed.

"HEEEELP!" a horrified scream cut through the thick silence without remorse. Creed froze in horror as he recognized the voice, and he ran up the steps.

"Jeanie!" Creed shouted, almost tripping on the steps and sometimes using his hands to steady himself, as he ran into the kitchen he hadn't been in since Luther's death and instantly ran for the open door leading outside. However the second he stepped out, there was a loud bang and pain burned through Creed's body as a bullet pierced he skin and entered this body, the shock causing him to collapse.

"My god. Look at it's claws." Creed heard someone say, his eyes shut instinctively from the pain, and the young man felt multiple people grab him by his arms and legs to make him sit up, but also keep him still. Creed opened his eyes and saw loads of people, some strangers and some people he knew. Men, woman, and even children were there, carrying knives and guns, along with pitchfork and forms of light to see him.

And a few steps away, was Zebadiah with Victoria behind her husband, though looking more reluctant and guilty. And he was holding Jeanie close to him, making it very clear she was his prisoner.

"Pa, what are you doing?" Creed asked in fear, as he struggled to move, but the people around him were holding him tightly.

"What I should have done a long time ago." Zebadiah said, before looking at the ground. "Here it is, my good people. The monster weight ungodly abilities. The demon who stole both of my children from me. The spawn of Satan who corrupted the poor girl with me now."

People spat at Creed, and some even got brave and decided to reliever a few swift kicks. One individual, a child who looked no older than nine, decided to stab a large knife into Creed's arm. Creed yelled in pain as it happened, but people only gasped she the knife was removed and the wound left in it's place slowly began to heal.

"See!" Zebadiah shouted, pointing at Creed's unnatural healing. "He is a freak of nature. A demon sent to temp good people like ourselves away from the Lord. But that is not all. He even corrupted this innocent girl into a whore, who is now carrying the abominations child!"

"What?" How do you-" Jeanie began, only to be slapped by Zebadiah, which earned a cheer from the mob and a shocked look from Victoria.

"Shut up! But if you must know, I overheard you and the beast talking. So I must now do by holy duty, a duty I have until now been to weak to do." Zebadiah said, before looking at Creed. "And you remember, that it was because of you that this happened. Until you did what you did, my life was perfect. But I guess that's all it takes to ruin a man's life. One bad day."

"Zebadiah, maybe we should-" Victoria began, but stopped when her husband glared at her. Freedom's father then looked at his son with a man grin, before he did the worst thing he could have done in Creed's eyes.

To Creed's horror, Zebadiah pulled out a knife and stabbed Jeanie in the stomach. He yelled as Jeanie bent over, and tears formed as he struggled to escape while his father continue to stamp Jeanie. He then raised the knife, covered in Jeanie's blood as she fell to the ground dying, and shouted. "Kill them both!"

People began to attack Creed and Jeanie. The pain was unbearable as he was stabed, kicked and hit from every direction. He felt knifes cut through his skin, and his bones break from t eh pain. One drown even grabbed a stick and slammed it into his right eye, all while they did the exact same thing to Jeanie. Despite the pain he was in, eh tried to see Jenaie through the crowds of people. But all he could see was blood and all he could hear was her screams, until their was nothing but silence. Creed didn't know how long he weather son the ground, being beaten and torn apart only to he's back up. Probably a few hours as he noticed that some people left only to reappear later with new stuff. But the worst part, even more worse that children were taking part, as the looks on their faces. They were enjoying it. They were loving the fact that they could hurt him in anyway they want, and Creed just wouldn't die. Everyone had the desire to hurt someone they hated, but never did it because of the consequences. But now, for the first time in their lives, they had someone they could hurt as much as they wanted without consequences.

And that was all that was needed to kill the last bit of kindness that remained within the boy Creed Quinn. And losing that remaining spark of belief goodness was all that was needed to make him fight back.

He tore through their bodies with his nailed, stomped on their heads, but at them. He didn't care who he killed, he was just in a complete frenzied of anger and violence. Blood splattered everywhere, and he only stopped when at last, he held the body and head of Zebadiah Quinn in his two hands separate for each other. He dropped them, and in a unfocused manner looked for Jeanie. He eventually found her, mainly due to being the only body that was mostly not torn apart. With no emotion, he slowly began to dig a grave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now I wanted to do the famous laughing scene the Joker does, but since either doubt any military will let the Hyena in if he was as crazy as he is shown to be as a supervillains, this is meant to simply show his violent origins and why he reacted to the experiments differently from Dark Claw, who despite the tragedies in his life seemed to find some forms of happiness before Weapon X, if that makes any sense. Anyway just one more chapter! By the way, in case anyone is interested, I've also posted the first chapter of a new Amalgam Comics story titled Dare vs the Amalgam Universe.


	9. The Gag

Bruce sat on the passenger seat of the Clawmobile, staring awkwardly out of the window. At the back of his mind he knew Barbara was going to kill him later when she found out she went behind her back and told SHIELD to send a few agents to help bring Hyena in without her. But he knew she was in a angry and vulnerable place right now, and what she shouldn't do is let that anger drive her into doing something that will only end badly. Hyena is an unpredictable person, and Bruce needed his people to be calm and collect when going after the criminal.

"So I assume you've contacted SHIELD?" Dark Claw asked him as he drove.

"Yes, I've made sure that a few agents will come to help bring Hyena in. I would prefer it if we waited, but I know you would go without me if I did." Bruce replied.

"Prefer to have me where you can see me?" Dark Claw questioned.

"Obviously. You're still a vigilante who called himself Dark Claw, so you're clearly not stable." Bruce replied. "Hell, you even have a car called the Clawmobile."

"I don't call it that. Sparrow does." Dark Claw responded.

"And there's another thing. Training a minor, even if she is a metamutant, to illegally fight crime. How you get away with that is beyond my understanding." Bruce told him, but Dark Claw ignored him. Or at least tried to, which he failed due to what Bruce said next. "And the whole Arkham situation. My God, why don't you just kill them."

"Because unlike you I have rules. A code. If I killed I would be just like them, lowering myself to their level. You're the director of an agency that does what ever it has to do to achieve it's goals." Dark Claw almost hissed in anger. "I have done stuff in my life that I regret, but I know they pale in comparison to the things you have done. So don't take the moral high ground."

Bruce didn't respond at first, just stared out of the window. However, eventually his curiosity got the better of him and he turned to speak to the vigilante. "And what have you don't that is so bad?"

To Bruce's surprise, he saw Dark Claw's jaw clench briefly and his body language betray him for the briefest of moments. Bruce had trained to understand what people were thinking, but he would never have expected for Dark Claw to act hesitant.

"We're here." Dark Claw finally said, and indeed they were. They drove into the abandoned carnival, and soon saw who they were looking for. The Hyena, with his Pack and Gordon in a cage. To Bruce's horror, though he didn't show it, he could see Hyena carrying an arm and a body of someone behind him.

Dark Claw stopped tribe car and the two nodded at each other before leaping out, Bruce pulling his gun out a firing quickly at an incoming thug. The bullet killed him instantly, and the secret agent returned his focus to the other Pack members. He knew his reluctant ally would hate that he was killing, but Bruce honestly couldn't care. He saw Dark Claw disabling his enemies, though he only used his claws to cut through their guns and not sound him. Bruce's eyes went to Hyena, who was chuckling happily, then to Gordon who just stared at what was happening with no emotion. Then Bruce saw the person being dragged away by a few members of the Pack after Hyena briefly said something to them, armless but without a doubt alive. And impossible to mistaken for someone else due to his mask being removed.

"Jason!" Bruce shouted in horror, as he saw the now former SHIELD agent be dragged away. He tried to run after him, but Hyena quickly grabbed him and using his metamutant strength threw him back towards the car. Bruce hit it and yelled in pain, but quickly focused and got back up.

"Sorry Mr Super Spy, I'm afraid Moondork can't play right now." Hyena told him with a smile. "By the way, it's good to see you again Bruce."

"What's he doing here!?" Bruce asked, aiming his gun at the Hyena. Guilt was hitting him like a truck, as he knew that in all likelihood Jason was here without anyone to get backup because of his decision. "How did you get him?"

"Hey he came after me, so it's not my fault. He found out I had escaped and decided to prove himself to you after you fired him." Hyena explained, throwing Jason's arm to the ground and making Bruce want to throw up. "But don't worry. He will be fine. For now at least."

"Let him go!" Bruce shouted as he fired his gun at Hyena, but the metamutant easily dodged the bullets.

Hyena lifted his hand to strike the agent with his claws, and Bruce prepared to leap out of the way when Dark Claw came to his rescue. His adamntium claws unsheathed and swinging at Hyena, the two archenemies swiped at each other, the scars they receive almost immediately healing. Eventually however Hyena delivered a swift kick into Dark Claw's stomach and run off into a building. Bruce saw Dark Claw almost chase after him, until he looked back and saw Gordon still in his cage. Without hesitation, the two went to the cage together and soon had it open.

"Charles, are you... are you alright?" Dark Claw asked with fear and worry in his voice. He approached Gordon, and when he put a hand on his shoulder in a desperate attempt to comfort him the police commissioner began to cry. Without hesitation Dark Claw huger him and spoke to him in a reassuring tone. "It's ok. Let it out."

"Oh god! He...he hurt Moira!" Gordon said between sobs, before looking up at Dark Claw. "Where is she? Where's Moira?"

"She's at the hospital." Bruce explained, and Gordon finally noticed he was there.

"He has one of your agents with him." Gordon said. "Moonwing. He's going to do something to him."

"Police and SHIELD agents are on the way Charles. I'll stay-" Dark Claw began, but Gordon interrupted him.

"No, I'm fine! You need to catch that maniac and you need to save your friend." Gordon said, pointing at Dark Claw then Bruce, before focusing on his friend. "And I want him to be brought in by the book. Because we have to show him. We have to show him our way works. Do you understand?

"Yes." the hero replied, and after handing the agent a spare earpiece from his belt the two dashed in opposite directions.

***

"So I assume the super agent has gone to try and find his friend?" Hyena said through some speakers as Logan carefully walked past the mirrors, sniffing to try and find a scent to track. "It doesn't matter. I won. Gordon has had his one bad day, and I'll have proven my point."

"What are you talking about?" Logan muttered, but he was surprised when he was answered.

"I can hear you. I figured we should have a conversation." Hyena replied. "And I'm talking about how all it takes to drive the sanest man to insanity and beyond is one bad day. One day something happens that pushes them towards a destination. That's all that separates the rest of the world from people like me, or the other people you throw into Arkham. You can relate to that."

"What?" Dark Claw asked as he smelled something and began to follow it.

"Well you had a bad day once, am I right? I mean you never told me what it was, mainly since you were convinced you would miss me more when I died if we became closer friends, but I know you did. Why else would you dress like that?" Hyena said with a chuckle. "You had a bad day, but for some reason you won't admit how crazy you are. You keep pretending that you can make sense of the insanity of life and define a reason for every horrible thing nature creates. It would almost me noble, if it wasn't so nauseating."

Dark Claw didn't respond, trying to ignore him. He saw stairs by a wall, and a light coming from a door at the top. With little options, he began to walk up the stairs.

"Honestly, just tell me what it was! Girlfriend cut up by some mugger, perhaps? Brother murdered by the mob? I know it was something like that, it's the only explanation for why you are the way you are. I know, because once upon a time, something like that happened to me." the Hyena explained. "I won't lie, sometimes I remember it one way and sometimes another. Sometimes my wife was murdered, sometimes my sister and me were tortured by our uncle, other times it's something completely different. We can both blame Weapon X for that though can't we? With all those implanted memories, how are we suppose to know what was real and what was fake? But sometimes I kind of like that my past is multiple choice."

Dark Claw finally reached the top of the stairs and to his surprise found himself in what appeared to be a kitchen. Except the table, the chairs, the cooker, sink and everything else was on the ceiling. Through a large window, Logan could see the moon in the night sky.

"But regardless of what is was, the fact is that I went crazy!" Hyena shouted as he suddenly appeared from behind Dark Claw. "And unlike you, I'm sane enough to admit it!"

Grabbing his old enemy by his cape, his claws cutting into it slightly, he pulled and swung Dark Claw against the wall. Before Logan could regain control, Hyena pulled again and swung him up to the ceiling, causing him to collide with and shatter the table on the ceiling. Wood fell everywhere as Dark claw collapsed to the ground while Hyena continued to talk.

"I mean it's all a joke! Everything anyone has ever hopes, suffered for or valued means nothing. I mean how many times have we come to world war three over a flock of geese on a computer screen?" Hyena asked as he bagan to kick Darin claw in the head. "You remember Vietnam, you remember what that was like! You remember how many of the people we worked with like Bane Simpson happily gave up their morals to just kill and hurt people, and then easily went back to their lives. It's all one big, sick gag, so why can't you see the funny side? Why aren't you laughing!?"

Before Hyena could deliver another swift kick, Logan's claws popped out and he swiftly stabbed them into Hyena's leg. Hyena growled and tried to grab him, but Logan pulled his arm to the side, his adamntium claws and Hyena's adamntium bones meaning that this caused Hyena to fall to the ground.

"Because I heard it before. And it wasn't funny the first time." Dark Claw said as he stood up and pulled his claws out of Hyena's leg. "Incidentally, I spoke to Gordon when I came in and he said he wanted you to bring in by the book. That means that despite your sick and demented little games, he's as sane as he ever was. That means-"

Dark Claw stopped when Hyena began to giggle, before laughing loudly. This continued for a few seconds, until the monster calmed down enough to talk.

"Oh my god, you are dumb." he said between chuckles. "Did you really think that it takes just one day and then that it? I never said it took just one bad day and then he's crazy. I said that all it takes for someone to go crazy is one bad day. This day will haunt him for the rest of his life, torment him day and night until eventually he can't take it anymore and he will just lose it. Did you think I just went crazy after everything went bad? We were in the military together! Look at you, it took you a long time before you wore that get up. The road towards insanity starts at a bad day, but that's what it is. A journey."

"I don't care, because unlike you Gordon won't go crazy." Dark Claw argued.

"Sure he won't." Hyena said, before punching Logan.

Dark Claw gasped for breath, but acted when he saw Hyena break open a cupboard and pull out a shotgun. He dashed forward and grabbed Hyena, causing the two to crash through the window and tumble to the ground in pain. Shaking his head and looking up, he saw Hyena bleeding slightly, thought healing, as he grabbed the shotgun. The metamutant aimed it quickly at Dark Claw and pulled the trigger. Logan winced, expecting a blaze of agony, but instead all that game out of the shotgun was a flag with the word bang on it.

"Oh damn it, wrong shotgun. I knew I shouldn't have trusted those new idiots in the Pack to do everything right." Hyena muttered, before looking at the vigilante. "Well what are you waiting for? Kick me about, then throw me back into the madhouse before getting your standing ovation."

"Why?" Logan suddenly asked, surprising himself by wha he had said. But he knew he had to ask.

"Why? Because that's your job. That's how this game of our's works. Do I really have to remind you of the rules?"

"No, I don't mean about that. Why are you so obsessed with me? Why do you do all these thing and make them so personal?" Logan asked, as he slowly pulled back his mask to talk to his old friend properly. "Why do you do it Creed?"

Hyena didn't answer and just stared at Logan in bewilderment. Logan was about to give up and put his mask on, when a hesitant voice emerged from his greatest enemy. "Because you're the only one I know for sure I knew before Weapon X, much less existed Logan. You're lucky that you remember your past. Me? I don't know how old I am, where I come from or even if Creed Quinn is my real name. Everything before meeting you in RCAF, I have no idea if it's real or fake."

"Lucky?" Logan responded in surprise. "Creed, I don't know what's real. Besides my parents and some other parts of my childhood, I don't know what's real and fake until Weapon X, and even then some of that is just me hoping that's the case. I know what it's like to fear that you're defining yourself by something that's not real."

"Where are you going with this Logan?" Creed asked, the fear and hesitance in his voice sounding nothing like the psychotic monster that had been here moments ago.

"Let me help you. I could rehabilitate you. You don't have to be alone, and we don't have to kill each other." Logan pleases, for the first time in all this time seeing what he always wanted: a chance to end this fatal rivalry of theirs. To prevent a destiny that had seemed to inevitable, until right now. "All you have to do, is tell me where Moonwing is."

"He's..." Creed began before he stopped, his face crunching up as if this was as painful as cutting off his hand, but he continued to speak and pointed at a nearby building. "He's in the warehouse over there, where we keep most of our weapons."

"What are you doing?" shouted a figure form the shadows, whicj was soon revealed to be Bruce Wayne. "What makes you think he's telling the truth? He's the Hyena!"

"Since you're here, that means you haven't found Moonwing. You have no other choice." Logan said as he pulled his mask back on, and helped Creed to his fight. Reluctantly, the three walked to the warehouse.

When they got to the rust admit worn down building, they pushed the door open easily before entering. They looked around for any members of the Pack to show up and try to kill them. But to both Logan's and Bruce's surprise none came. They walked past crates of weapons and explosives, until the saw a familiar figure sitting on a chair facing away from them, a bright light shindig down on him.

"Jason!" Bruce shouted with relief as he dashed towards him. Logan followed, feeling that at long last, it was over. Creed will get the help he needs. Logan knew it will be a long jand hard ourney, but he was willing to do it to end this fighting between them once and for all.

"Jason are you alright?" Bruce asked as he reached Moonwing, but the look of happiness on his face instantly vanished when he was face to face with him. For good reason Logan discovered, when he saw that it was just a mannequin with a panted smiling face dressed in the costume and a bomb in its hands, multiples wires connected to it and leading away to different crates.

"You know Logan. Part of me really did want to take you to Moonwing." said the Hyena, a mad grin on his face as he pulled a detonator from a crate.

"Creed, no!" Dark Claw shouted but it was to late. With one push on the button, everything changed and the hope Logan had died.

BOOOOOM!

Fire exploded everywhere around them, sending chucks of wood everywhere. Bullets blew up from the heat, some hitting Logan when he moved to protect Bruce. Despite the pain of the bullets and the fire coming closer to burn him slightly, he acted quickly. Pulling out the clawgun, he aimed it at a open window and fired. A claw sprung out and grabbed hold of the side of the window, and after grabbing Bruce, the two were reeled up into the air and thrown outside the building. It was just in time as well, as not a second later there was one last explosion that fully set the warehouse on fire. Logan and Bruce fell to the ground hard, the vigilante able to hear some of the bones in Bruce's body break due to how close they were.

"Not bad Logan. Quick thinking." said the Hyena as he strolled up to them.

"Where is Jason you fucking psycho!" Bruce shouted in pain, pearly unable to stand.

"I told you. In the warehouse." Hyena replied as he pulled out a handheld radio from his belt. He flipped it on and a familiar voice could be heard.

"Help me! Someone please! I need help, I-" the voice of Jason Todd said before it suddenly became static.

"Oh no, things don't sound so good for Mr Todd. Too bad, I was sort of starting to like him." Hyena told them cheerfully, while Bruce and Logan stard In horror at the hiring building then back at Hyena. "What? I thought I would try to kill three birds with one stone."

"Jason..." Bruce whispered, feeling numb and disconnected from what was happening. Logan however, felt the opposite.

His claws popping out he charged at Hyena, who was surprised by that action. He collided with the monster, his claws stabbing him into the chest. As he continued to push Hyena backwards away from Bruce, Dark Claw proceeded to pull one arm out and then stab Hyena again while the other arm pulled out, doing the same again and again. Blood began to splatter everywhere, due to Dark Claw stabbing Hyena and Hyana dragging his claws against Dake Claw's back and tearing off bits of his costume and skin. As they collapsed somewhere onto the ground, they continued to stab and slash at each other, tearing away at each other like wild animals. However Dark Claw eventually began to dominate Hyena, stabbing him faster than his enemy. He was lost in his rage, and only began to slow down into a stop when at the back of his mind, he noticed that Hyena was no longer fighting back. Looking down, he saw Hyena's just laying there with his eyes close. Confused, Dark Claw took a step back and brought his head down to Hyena's chest.

He heard nothing.

Hundreds of feelings flooded through Logan Wayne's mind as he realised what had just happened. Anger, guilt, disbelief. But there was anothe feeling, hidden behind all that. A feeling that horrified him more than anything in the world. As he began to wonder what he was going to do, he heard the Hyena suddenly caugh.

"Wow...I didn't expect you to go so far." Hyena said with a smile. "So, how did it feel? To finally do what you always wanted to do?"

Dark Claw didn't respond, just stared at Hyena. The villain took this as a sign he could continue talking.

"Let me guess. You felt relived right? That this was finally over?" Hyena asked, as he began a to laugh. "This gag worked better than I had hoped. Destroying your faith that this would never end by making you think I was going to change was one thing, but this? Making you relalise that you are a killer like me and that even then, I still won't die? Oh it's just so funny!"

His laugh began to cut through the noise of the burning warehouse and the storm starting to brew above them. It sounded as vile and vicious as the man himself, and slowly but surely another laugh could be heard. This laugh originated from Dark Claw himself, but unlike Hyena this wasn't a laugh of joy. This was a laugh of despair and anger, as he finally accepted for the first time that no matter how much he wished it would be, his battle with the Hyena will never be over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me if there are any spelling mistakes or sentences that don't make sense. So when I first started this, I wanted to do the one bad day thing from the Killing Joke the same way. But as I continued with the story and made small edits on the story that eventually led to changes in what was going to happen, I realized it didn't make that much sense to me. Because if Dark Claw and Hyena became who they are in the 80s or something after Weapon X, but I'm making them have their Marvel components old age, then clearly that premise won't work in this. This made me feel a little stuck, until I came up with this idea where having a bad day puts them on a journey towards insanity. Also one thing I hated about Dark Claw is how they gave his origin very quickly and explained his background, as I would have preferred that they made his background more mysterious like Wolverine. That's why I had it that Dark Claw isn't as certain about his background as he acts. I hope you enjoyed what I did and that you thought it made sense, and I hope you liked the ending. I was a bit unsure of it if I'm honest.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think and if there are any spelling mistakes or sentences that don't make sense. Now for this story I'm re-reading both comics and doing my best to combine the plots using the little bits of information I can find that mention this events in actual Amalgam comics and trading cards, though I will add my own stuff to make it work. Anyway, next chapter will be a flashback showing the origin for the Hyena, much like how The Killing Joke did the same for the Joker.


End file.
